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Title: Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach by John Alcock ISBN: 0-87893-011-6 Publisher: Sinauer Associates Pub. Date: 01 July, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $84.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.43 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: From sea slugs to siblings
Comment: There's benefit in starting this book at the final chapter. After all, we consider humans the most important member of the animal kingdom. A quick perusal of Chapter 15, "The Evolution of Human Behavior", introduces you to many issues within that topic. The question that must arise, is "how did we get to be that way?". To answer that question, simply turn to page 1 and start reading. The rewards gained by following John Alcock's presentation are beyond measure. He's an outstanding researcher and analyst. His writing demonstrates the importance of understanding why this book is necessary for both professional and novice. The behavioural traits he explains show the workings of evolution. We are but one of the products of that process.
Stating that Darwin's concept of evolution was a "blockbuster" of an idea, he argues it illuminates everything once you have the courage to look. He uses the concept of "proximate" and "ultimate" causes in analysing traits and deriving their origins. What we see in nature are the "proximate" causes of behaviour - how do a moth's muscles make the wings move in a particular way? The "ultimate" cause is what, if anything is gained by the action or behaviour? Answering the second question leads to a probable explanation of how evolution brought the feature about. Traits are the result of a long series of tiny steps leading to what is seen today. Alcock demonstrates that there are many influences affecting the course of evolution.
Alcock presents an array of examples neatly arranged in groupings such as environmental impact, heredity, mating and feeding. How does the ungainly seaslug discern predator approach and how does it escape? Why do so many male birds sing, and so few females? How do night-flying moths evade the sonar-equipped bat? Why is the Monarch butterfly so brilliant in colour while other butterflies and moths seem drab and muted? How do we recognize faces? The underlying question in each example is whether the observed property is a beneficial adaptation.
Every trait is subject to a balance of "benefits" and "costs" - camouflage to hide from predators may also cloak you from a possible mate. Alcock examines this balance for many species, noting that some assessments remain in dispute. Testing alternative hypotheses is a major sub-theme of this book. Considering "cost/benefit" of human behaviours is only now being undertaken, but is just as applicable to us as to other animals. What are the benefits of a social environment such as ours? What are the costs involved in maintaining this type of existence? One "cost/benefit" analysis is the evolution of "helpers". Humans long believed the rest of the animal world never exhibited altruism. Yet, now it's known that "assistance to others" can range from adoption of offspring to a variety of reciprocal trade-offs of many types across many species.
Although this book is designed as a classroom text, the writing style, illustrative material and references make it a worthy purchase for anyone. At first glance the cost of this book seems staggering. Looking at the bibliography, however, suggests you could spend this figure many times over in detailed studies. Alcock presents the work of many researchers, summarising it effectively. Further examination of a single topic is easier with the "head start" Alcock offers in many topics. The value of this book is inestimable and Alcock's frequent upgrades ensure you will be kept abreast of recent findings. With luck and effort, you might even contribute some of your own. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Rating: 2
Summary: Going downhill
Comment: I used this book as a student and enjoyed it then. Years later, as a professor, I decided to switch from Krebs and Davies' text to this one for the greater number of examples. However, the lack of theoretical underpinning makes this book more of a fun read than an educational one. My students often thought "wow, thats cool" without understanding the significance. I also found the avoidance of mathematical models troubling. This is a trend I have seen in the most recent Ricklefs' Ecology text as well (which I no longer use). Beautiful photos, easy to read, lots of examples, but much too watered down. I would give this book to my parents to read to understand animal behavior, but I wont use it for a college text again.
Rating: 2
Summary: Ok. I take it back (send it back)
Comment: Every time I teach Animal Behaviour I swear that I am going to change texts "the next time" -and every time UNTIL NOW my students have said that they REALLY liked Alcock, well, the latest edition changes all that. As other reviewers have noted (and for reasons that escape me) Alcock has allowed his publisher to "dumb down" the text into a bland "pretty face" that turned students off in droves. As I moved through each chapter I kept thinking "How could someone as smart & interesting as Alcock make so many cool subjects so BORING?" Previous editions convince me that it ain't him, so it must be the publisher. Margins are huge, more and more gratuitous "illustrations" clutter up the text & break one's stream of thought, and by mid-term I essentially threw up my hands, apologized to the class & went to using the original primary sources with the book as a marginal reference for those that got lost. If you have a huge lecture course full of unimaginative students who want to take one & one only Behaviour course so that they can say that they have "done Behaviour" then this text is probably perfect for you, otherwise I would suggest haunting used book shops for past editions or going straight to the literature. the whole thing reminds me of "New Coke" -a marketing scheme that ignored its market. Alcock is an excellent scholar and in the past his book has been a great source of original material which I have encouraged my students to have on their shelves as a reference source,but this is a shame.
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Title: Exploring Animal Behavior: Readings from American Scientist by Paul W. Sherman, John Alcock ISBN: 0878938141 Publisher: Sinauer Associates Pub. Date: 01 July, 2001 List Price(USD): $21.95 |
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Title: Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide by Paul Martin, Patrick, Frs Bateson ISBN: 0521446147 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 01 April, 1993 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: Essentials of Animal Behaviour (Studies in Biology) by P. J. B. Slater ISBN: 0521629969 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 01 May, 1999 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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Title: Behavioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Approach by J. R. Krebs, Nicholas B. Davies, John R. Krebs, N. B. Davies ISBN: 0865427313 Publisher: Blackwell Publishers Pub. Date: 01 April, 1997 List Price(USD): $79.95 |
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Title: Evolutionary Biology by Douglas J. Futuyma ISBN: 0878931899 Publisher: Sinauer Associates Pub. Date: 01 December, 1997 List Price(USD): $94.95 |
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